Instrument for cutting open letter envelopes



Nov. 26, 1957 M. s. JONES INSTRUMENT FOR CUTTING OPEN LETTER ENVELOPESFiled July 11, 1955 Fig.2.

Marion ,51 James INVENTO'R BY WM ATTORNEY l nited States PatentINSTRUMENT FOR CUTTING OPEN LETTER ENVELOPES Marion S. Jones, Baltimore,Md.

Application July 11, 1955, Serial No. 521,059

1 Claim. (Cl. 30-294) This invention relates to paper cutting devices,and more particularly to an instrument for cutting open letterenvelopes. One of the objects of the invention is the provision of meansfor severing the fiap of an envelope from the body of the envelope, fromend to end thereof.

Another object is the provision of meats for guiding the envelope duringthe passage of the knife through the flap.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means forpreventing choking or fouling of the cutter during the cuttingoperation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means foradjusting the cutting blade in order to shift the angle of the cutterblade with respect to the paper to be cut.

It is also an object of the adjusting means whereby movement of theblade will present a new cutting edge of the knife in position forcutting the flap.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the novel constructionand arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointedout in the appended claims, it being understood that minor changes maybe made in the structure within the scope of the claims, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device, with an envelope in cuttingposition thereon.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the device, thecutting plane being taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, partly broken away, takensubstantially through the longitudinal center of the device.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the device.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of a modified form of cutter.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, the numeraldesignates a handle or holder for a cut ting blade 11, one edge of thehandle being provided with a channel or groove 12 extending throughoutthe length of the handle 10.

The blade 11 is relatively thin and seated against lateral movement in aslot 13 formed in the transverse center of the groove 12.

As shown at 14, the handle is beveled at each side from the center toform clearance for a purpose to pres- 2,814,111 Patented Nov. 26, 1957hoe ently appear. The blade is pivotally mounted at 15 in the handle andhas an arcuate surface 16 so disposed with respect to the pivot of theblade as to provide a crank for changing the angular position of theblade with respect to the groove 12, adjustment of the blade being madeby means of a set screw 17 which is threaded in a bore 18 in the handle.The inner end of the screw rests against the surface 16 of the blade sothat manipulation of the screw will move the blade about its pivotalpoint to change the angle of the blade with respect to the plane of thesurface of the paper to be cut. This adjustment of the blade enables theoperator of the device to adjust the blade for cutting paper ofdifferent textures and thickness. It will also be observed that anychange in the angular disposition of the blade results in presenting anew cutting surface on the cutting edge of the blade, to the paper.

It will further be observed that the apex 18 of the beveled surfaces 14,is lower than the bottom of the groove 12, thus providing clearancebetween the envelope and the apex 18 at the cutting surface of the bladefor any fragments of paper from the cut envelope to accumulate andprevent the blade operating to cut the envelope.

In Fig. 5 there is shown a cutter in which adjustment of the blade hasbeen dispensed with and the blade 19 is shown as being securedpermanently to the handle by means of pins 20. Other elements of thedevice are identical with the structure hereinbefore described, and aretherefore indicated by like numerals having a sufiix added.

In use, with the edge of the envelope in the groove 12, the point of theknife is placed under the flap at one corner of the envelope and withthe knife in this position, the device is drawn along the edge of theenvelope, thus quickly and effectively cutting the flap to open theenvelope.

Having thus described the invention:

What is claimed is:

A letter opener comprising an elongated body having a central grooveformed in one longitudinal edge thereof providing a guideway, the sidewalls of said groove having arcuate cut-out portions spaced asubstantial distance from the ends of said groove and intersecting saidgroove, the base of the outer marginal portions of said arcuate cut-outportions lying a substantial distance below the base of said grooveproviding a clearance for the reception of a corner of an envelope to beopened the base of said cut-out portions being beveled in oppositedirections from the base of said central groove to the bases of saidouter marginal portions of said arcuate cut-out portions, and a bladesecured within said groove having its cutting edge disposed at an acuteangle with respect to the base of said groove, said blade projecting outof said groove over said cut-out portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS262,218 Geiger Aug. 8, 1882 844,770 Bauer Feb. 19, 1907 2,282,062 JewettMay 5, 1942 2,442,694 Keiser June 1, 1948

